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08 February 2020

The fragility of our planet seen from space "is true". The Italian ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano has no uncertain terms, speaking during the first international press conference at the ESA astronaut center in Cologne.

From the top view of our planet, "in the overwiev" that you have from space, from the International Space Station, explains Luca, "you realize that what you have seen so far on Earth is only a very small part of a living system" which is at risk, but "life continues well beyond the damage we are doing" because "the universe is predisposed for life", at risk instead "is man and we must act". From space "you see the fragility, the beauty of nature that rebels in its devastating ability to make us feel small".

Parmitano, who just returned after 201 days spent on the ISS, reveals that "in the 7 months in orbit we have seen hurricanes never seen before: on the Bahamas, on Portico". With the ISS crew, he says, "we have seen fires burning in the Amazon forests, in Africa, in Australia". "I photographed Australia for 4 months, an entire continent in red," he comments. "This fragility, so evident - continues - has the effect of making us think: what is the most fragile element? They also asked me at the UN climate summit". "It was a question I didn't expect: we men are the most fragile thing," he says.

"Life - observes the astronaut - will continue well beyond the damage we are doing, the Universe is predisposed for life, life is perfectly aligned with the principles of physics, therefore it will continue to exist but it is not said that in the future we will both man in this system ". "If we want to preserve the smoke it's time to act. It is a problem that concerns us very, very closely", he warns.